Bobbin winders for sewing machines



May 31, 1960 R. E. JOHNSON BOBBIN WINDERS FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 29 WITNESS I2 ma zzd Ralph Fig.6.

INVENTOR. E. Johnson ATTORNEY May 31, 1960 R. E. JOHNSON 2,938,478

BOBBIN WINDERS F OR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. Ralph E. Johnson WITNESS gown/V W @W ATTORNEY United States Patent BOBBIN WINDERS FOR SEWING MACHINES Ralph E. Johnson, Mountainside, N.J., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N .J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 633,934

13 Claims. (Cl. 112-218) The present invention relates to sewing machines and particularly to a bobbin winder for sewing machines.

It is an object of this invention to provide a sewing machine bobbin winder that is substantially concealed within the frame or casing of the machine, for purposes of appearance as well as to protect the mechanism against damage and to remove it as a source of interference with the manipulation of the work. At the same time, it is an object of this invention to provide such a mechanism that is inexpensive in that it is simple in construction and easy to assemble, is durable, dependable and easy to operate.

In sewing machines it is customary to provide power means such as an electric motor for driving the same, as well as a hand drive attachment or a foot treadle means for use in those areas Where electric power is not available. Accordingly it is a further object of this invention to provide a sewing machine bobbin winder that is so located and mounted that it can be used on a machine having an electric power or manual drive means. It is also necessary that the lead of the thread to the bobbin be centered relatively to the bobbin so that the thread Will be wound evenly on the bobbin. Accordingly, it is a further object of this invention to provide a simplified, durable and dependable adjustable thread guide for controlling the lead of the thread to the bobbin, and particularly for use with a bobbin Winder in'accordance with the above. I

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident from an understanding of this disclosure, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts as illustrated in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention which is hereinafter set forth in such detail as to enable those skilled in the art readily to understand the function, operation, construction and advantages of it when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: I v Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a sewing machine having a bobbin winder constructed in accordance with the present invention.

i Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of that portion of sewing machine ofFig. l'carrying the bobbin winder. Y

' Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the underside of the top cover plate of the sewing machine of Fig. 1, showing thebobbin winder, which is carried by the top cover plate, in elevation. I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 2. v

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 3, but with the parts shown right side up.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 3, but with the parts shown right side up.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view in section and taken substantially on the line 77 of Fig. 2. 1

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but illustrating a modification of the thread guide.

2,938,478 Patented May 31, 1960 Ice ' The present invention is illustrated as embodied in a sewing machine such as that forming the subject matter of the US. patent application of Johnson, Serial No. 471,766, filed November 29, 1954, now Patent No. 2,862,468, dated December 2, 1958. This machine has a frame including a bed plate 1 having a standard 2 rising from the one end thereof and carrying a bracket arm 3.

The open top of the bracket arm 3 is closed by a cover a conventional hand wheel '10 mounted upon the end of the main shaft (not shown), the hand wheel 10 being mounted outside the machine frame for rotation about an axis longitudinally of the bracket arm 3.

A bobbin winder carrier lever 11 is pivotally secured intermediate its ends to the under side of the cover plate 4 by a shouldered pivot screw 12, Fig. 5, extending loosely through the lever 11 and threaded into a tapped hole 13 in the cover plate 4. A stud 14, Fig. 6, arranged at a point spaced from or eccentrically of the pivot screw 12 and adjacent one end of the lever 11 extends upwardly through an enlarged opening 15 in the cover plate 4 and has journaled thereon a spindle 16 which has at its lower end beneath the cover plate 4, the usual wheel 18 having a rubber tire 19. The upper end of the spindle 16 extends upwardly through the opening 15 and is adapted to receive a bobbin 20, illustrated in phantom lines in Fig. 1, to be wound, the spindle having a flange 21 for sup porting the bobbin and a pin 22 for coupling the bobbin to the spindle 16 for rotation. The spindle 16 is held on the stud 14 by a screw 23 threaded into the upper end of the stud. The side wall of the cover plate 4 is cut away adjacent to the wheel 18 to provide a slot 24, Fig. 3. The pivot screw 12, which constitutes the pivot for the lever 11, is arranged adjacent to the hand wheel 10 and with the axis thereof in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of the hand wheel, and the stud 14 is parallel to the pivot axis of the lever 11, so that upon pivotal movement of the lever, the wheel 18 will be moved through the slot 24 into contact with inner surface of the hand wheel 10 to be rotated. The opening 15 is made large enough so that the flange 21 can passtherethrough in assembly, and

is large enough to provide for movement of the spindle 16 relatively to the cover plate.

To pivot the lever 11 in opposite directions about its pivot axis and thereby move the wheel 18 into and out of operative relation with the hand wheel 10, there is provided a slide 25 mounted in a guide way 26 in the cover plate 4, Fig. '5, for longitudinal sliding movement. The

slide 25 extendsthrough an opening 27 in the front of the cover plate 4.with the end of the slide 25 bent upwardly to form a finger hold 28. The slide 25 is held in: the guide way 26 by an arm 29 underlying the slide and secured to the cover plate 4 by the screw 12. The arm 29 extends through a slot 30 formed in a depending wall while inward movement of the slide is limited by the enfgagement of a shoulder 34 on the slide against the end of the depending wall 31, as shown in the full line position in Fig. 3. The slide 25 carries a stud 35 about which is coiled a spring 36 having one end extending through an aperture-37 in the slide to anchor it and the other end engaging in agroove 38 formed in the inner edge of the lever 11. The spring is positioned so that upon movement of the slide 25 to its opposite end positions, it will slide along the groove 38 to engage the lever 11 upon opposite sides of the pivot screw 12. When the slide is in its innermost position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the spring 36 biases the lever 11 to its inoperative position, i.'e., with the wheel 18 abutting against the depending wall 31 and out of engagement with the hand wheel 10. To move the bobbin window to its operative position, the slide 25 is pulled to the dotted line position in Fig. '3, which moves the end of the spring 36 along the groove 38 to the opposite side of the pivot screw 12 and thus biases the lever in opposite direction with the wheel 18 resiliently urged into engagement with the inner surface of the hand wheel 1!).

Automatically to move the wheel 18 of the spindle 16 away from the hand wheel against the action of the spring 36 when the bobbin is filled and to stop rotation of the bobbin, there is provided a stationary finger 39 secured to the top of the cover plate 4 by a screw 40 threaded into the hole 13 and arranged to extend between the flanges of the bobbin to engage the thread being wound thereon.

Having in mind the design features of the-machine, the cover plate 4 is made somewhat convex and to accommodate the bobbin winder, the corner thereof at the front of the machine adjacent to the hand wheel 10 has a flat 41 and there is provided a counterbore '42 about the opening that accommodates the flange 21.

. It is, of course, known that a long thread lead arranged as nearly as possible tangent to the thread spool will prevent the spool from being spun off the pin 8 as the thread for the bobbin is drawn off during the bobbin winding operation. To obtain such a thread lead, the spool 9 is mounted on the right hand pin 8 in Fig. 1 and the-thread, designated T, is run through a thread-guide 43 at the free end of the bracket arm 3 and then back towards the bobbin winder. Since the bobbin winder is recessed relatively to the uppermost portion of the cover plate 4 and the hinge plate 5, and since the thread lead must be'directed substantially tangential to the center of the bobbin in order to obtain an evenly wound bobbin, the thread lead is run along the front edge of the cover plate 4 and about an adjustable guide 44 to the bobbin. As seen in Fig. 7, the guide 44 consists of a stud comprising a sleeve 45 that is arranged substantially normal to the cover plate 4 and secured thereto by a screw 46 extending through an enlarged bore 47 in. the center of the sleeve and threaded into the cover plate 4 with the head 48 of the screw engaging a shoulder 49 formed by counterboring the upper end of the sleeve 45. The sleeve 45 has a lower edge 50 that its formed in' a plane at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and -the sleeve is resigned to be seated in a flat or planarsurface 51, Fig. 2, on the cover plate that is normal to the axis of the spindle 14 so that it will be disposed at an angle to a line normal to the surface 51. The lead of the thread T contacts the sleeve '45 at a point along a line longitudinally of the periphery of the sleeve 45 and is Irun around the guide 44 as shown in Fig. 1. Fnom the'guide 44 the thread must be normally directed to substantially the center of the bobbin so that the bobbin will be wound evenly. To adjust the lead to'the center of the bobbin, the sleeve 45 is rotated, which will vary the angle of the line on the periphery of the sleeve 45 presented to the thread and thus shift the point of contact "of the thread along the line. The sleeve 45 is then fixed in adjusted position by the screw 46. In Fig. 8 there is illustrated a modification of the thread guide 44, designated 44a,

which comprises a sleeve 45a having a bore 47a that is skewed relatively to the axis of the sleeve, the screw 46 passing through the bore 47a to secure the guide to the cover plate 4, the head 48 of the screw 46 overlying the top 49a of the sleeve. The lower edge 50a of the sleeve 45a is formed at an angle relatively to the axis of the sleeve in the same manner as with the edge 49 of the sleeve45.

With the present construction there is obtained a bobbin'winder that is substantially concealed for purposes of appearance as well as to protect the mechanism and to prevent undue interference with the manipulation of the work, is dependable, durable, and easy to operate, is simple and economical in construction and being carried entirely by the cover plate, can be easily assembled on the cover plate and this in turn assembled on the machine. At the same time, there are obtained an optimum thread pull-oft lead from the thread spool 9 which decreases the tendency of the spool to be spun off its pin 8 as the bobbin is being wound, and an optimum lead to the bobbin which can be readily centered relatively to the bobbin by means of the adjustable guide 44. A further advantage of mounting the bobbin winder on the cover plate 4 is that it will not interfere with the use of any selected drive means. With a bobbin winder mounted at the front of the standard, or in any similar position, the drive means for the machine is limited since the arrangement of the belt for a treadle drive, or the crank for a hand drive, or the belt or gear connection for a motor drive must be designed around the bobbin winder, which in many cases results in expensive or inferior constructions. In the present construction, the bobbin winder is mounted at the top on the cover plate where it would not interfere with the use of any selected drive means for the machine.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of my invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. In a sewing machine having a frame, a bobbin winder carrier lever mounted on said frame for pivotal movement about an axis intermediate its ends and having oppositely extending lever arms, a bobbin winder carried by said lever eccentrically of the pivot axis thereof for movement into and out of operative position upon pivotal movement of said lever, and manually operated actuating means for engaging said lever arms alternately to pivot said lever in opposite directions and thereby selectively move said bobbin winder into and out of operative position.

2. In a'sewing machine having a frame, a rotary member journaled on said frame, a bobbin winder carrier lever mounted in said frame for pivotal movement about an axis intermediate its ends and in a plane normalto the axis of said rotary member and having oppositely extending lever arms, a bobbin receiving spindle journaled in said one of said lever arms adjacent to the end thereof and on an axis parallel to the axis of said lever, a bobbin winder Wheel mounted on said spindle and adapted to be moved into and out of operative engagement with said rotary member upon pivotal movement of said lever, and manually operated actuating means for engaging said lever arms alternately to pivot said lever and thereby selectively-move said bobbin winder wheel into and out of operative engagement with said rotary member.

3. In a sewing machine having a frame including a removable cover plate, a bobbin winder carrier lever mounted on the inside of said cover plate for pivotal movement about an axis intermediate its ends'and having oppositely extending lever arms, a bfobbin winder carried by' said lever eccentrically of the pivot axis thereof for movement into and out of operative position upon pivotal movements, of said lever, said ,bobbin winder including a bobbin receiving spindle extending through an enlarged opening in said cover tothe exterior of said frame, and manually operated actuating means for engaging said lever arms alternately to pivot said lever and thereby selectively movesaid. bobbin winder into and out of operative position.

4. In a sewing'machine having a frame, a bobbin winder carrier lever mounted on said frame for pivotal movement about'an axis intermediate its ends, a bobbin winder carried by said lever eccentrtically of the pivot axis thereof for movement into and out of operative position upon pivotal movement of said lever, and manually operated actuating means for engaging said lever upon opposite sides of the pivot axis thereof for pivoting said leverand thereby selectively moving said bobbin winder into and out of operative position, said actuating means including a slide mounted in said frame for longitudinal sliding movement and extending through an opening in said frame to the exterior thereof.

5. In a sewing machine having a frame including a removable cover plate, a bobbin winder carrier lever mounted on the inside of said cover plate for pivotal movement about an axis intermediate its ends, abobbin winder carried by said lever eccentrically of the pivot axis thereof for movement into and out of operative position upon pivotal movement of said lever, said bobbin winder including a bobbin receiving spindle extending through an enlarged opening in said cover to the exterior of said frame, and manually operated actuating means for engaging said lever upon opposite sides of the pivot axis thereof for pivoting said lever and thereby selectively moving said bobbin winder into and out of operative position, said actuating means including a slide mounted on the inside of said cover plate for longitudinal sliding movement and extending through an opening in said cover plate tothe exterior thereof.

6. In a sewing machine having a frame, a bobbin winder carrier lever mounted in said frame for pivotal movement about an axis intermediate its ends, a bobbin winder carried by said lever eccentrically of the pivot axis thereof for movement into and out of operative position upon pivotal movement of said lever, a slide mounted in said frame for longitudinal sliding movement and extending through an opening in said frame to the exterior thereof, and resilient means carried by said slide and operatively connected to said lever for engaging said lever upon the opposite sides of the pivot axis upon actuation of said slide to bias said lever in opposite directions about the pivot axis and thereby bias said bobbin winder into and out of operative position.

7. In a sewing machine having a frame including a removable cover plate, a bobbin winder carrier'lever mounted on the inside of said cover plate for pivotal movement about an axis intermediate its ends, a bobbin winder carried by said levereccentrically of the pivot axis thereof for movement into and out of operative position upon pivotal movement of said lever, a slide mounted on the inside of said cover plate for'longitudinal sliding and extending through an opening in said cover plate to the exterior thereof, and resilient means carried by said slide and operatively connected to said lever for engaging said lever upon the opposite sides of the pivot axis upon actuation of said slide to bias said lever in opposite directions about the pivot axis and thereby move said bobbin winder into and out of operative position.

8. In a sewing machine having a frame, a bobbin winder carrier lever mounted on said frame for pivotal movement about an axis intermediate its ends and having oppositely extending lever arms, a bobbin winder carmember can'i'ed by-said frame, a bobbin winder carrier pivotal. movement of said lever, resilient means, .and'

means for moving said resilient means into operative enga'gement withsaid lever arms alternately to pivot said lever about its pivot axis and thereby resiliently biasing said lever pivotally in opposite directions for resiliently urging said bobbin winder into and out of operative position. 7 V V 9; In a sewing machine having a frame, a driving lever mounted on said frame adjacent to said driving member for pivotal movement about an axis intermediate its ends and'having oppositely extending lever arms, a bobbin'receiving spindle journaled in said leveradjacent to the one endthereof, a bobbin winder wheel mounted on saidspindle and adapted to be moved into and out of operative engagement with said driving member upon pivotal movementof said lever, resilient means, and means for ';moving.. s'aidi-resilientmeans into operative engage ment with said lever arms alternately to pivot said lever about its pivot axis and thereby resiliently biasing said lever pivotally in opposite directions for resiliently urging said wheel into and out of operative engagement with said driving member.

10. In a sewing machine having a frame, a rotary driving member carried by said frame, a bobbin winder carrier lever mounted on said frame adjacent to said driving member for pivotal movement about an axis intermediate its ends, a bobbin receiving spindle journaled in said lever adjacent to one end thereof, a bobbin winder wheel mounted on said spindle and adapted to be moved into and out of operative engagement with said rotary driving member upon pivotal movement of said lever, a manually retractable slide carried by said frame and having a finger grip providing for the manual shift of said slide from its retracted position to an operative position, and a spring member anchored at one end to said retractable slide and disposed to bear at its other end against said carrier lever at one side of the pivotal axis of said carrier lever when said slide is in its retracted position and at the other side of the pivotal axis of said carrier lever when said slide is in its operative position.

11. In a sewing machine having a frame, a bobbin winder mounted upon said frame and including a rotary bobbin receiving spindle, said frame having a planar surface substantially normal to the axis of said spindle,

a smooth surfaced cylindrical stud disposed on end upon said surface and about which a lead of thread toward the spindle is bent for directing and centering the lead of thread relatively to said spindle, said stud having the end thereof in engagement with said surface formed in a plane at an angle to the axis of said stud for supporting said stud at an angle to the axis of said spindle whereby said stud will present to the thread a longitudinal line on the periphery thereof, the inclination of which line relatively to the axis of the spindle being varied upon rotation of said stud, and meansfor securing said stud in adjusted position on said surface.

12. In a sewing machine having a frame, a bobbin winder mounted upon said frame and including a rotary bobbin receiving spindle, said frame having a planar surface substantially normal to the axis of said spindle, a smooth surfaced cylindrical sleeve disposed on end upon said surface and about which a lead of thread toward the spindle is bent for directing and centering the lead of thread relatively to said spindle, said sleeve having the end thereof in engagement with said surface formed in a plane at an angle to the axis of said sleeve for support ing said sleeve at anangle to the axis of said spindle whereby said stud will present to the thread a longitudinal line on the periphery thereof, the inclination of which line relatively to the axis of the spindle being varied upon rotation of said sleeve, said sleeve having a longitudinally extending bore and a threaded element extending through said bore and threaded into said frame for seeming said stud in adjusted position on said surface. 1

k3. In a sewing machine having a frame provided with a top-cover plate, a bobbin winder mounted on one end of said cover plate and including a rotary bobbin receiving spindle disposed substantially normal-to said cover plate, thread spool supporting means at the same end of said cover plate for supporting athread spool'on an axis substantially parallel to the axis of said spindle, athread guide at the remote end of said cover plate about which a 'thread from the spool is directed toward said spindle, said cover plate having a planar surface substantially normal to the axis of said spindle and an adjustable thread guide disposed adjacent-to saidspindlefor directing and centering the thread lead relatively to said spindle comprising a smooth surfaced cylindrical sleeve disposed on end upon said surface and about-which the lead of thread to the spindle is 'bent, said sleeve having the end thereof in engagement with said; surface formed in a plane at an angle to the axis of-said sleeve for supporting saidslee've at-aa angle to th e 'ZXlS Of said spindle whereby said-stud will present tothe thread a longitudi- 'nal line on the periphery thereof, the inclination of which line relatively to the axis of the spindle being: varied upon rotation of said's'leeve, said sleeve'having a longitudinally extending bore, and a headed'element extending through said bore and threaded-into said frame for securing said stud in adjusted position on said frame References Cited inthe' file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Robert Mar. 27,-

2,690,313 MeDermott Sept. 28, 1954 2,706,638 'Bruderlin et a1. Apr. 19, 1955 2,745,365 Zink May 15, 1956 2,871,809 Moro Feb. 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS I r 1,084,523 France July 7, 1954' 

